The White House claims the invitation to the Super Bowl champs was canceled after they offered to send "a tiny handful of representatives." Instead, the White House hosted a celebration on the importance of standing for the national anthem and flag. USA TODAY Sports
Tweeting and criticizing is easy. Doing the actual work is harder, but far more effective.
While President Donald Trump continues to use the NFL protests to deflect from his administration’s blatant cruelty – in this case, its practice of separating immigrant children from their parents – the players he criticizes remain undeterred. From forums with candidates for district and prosecuting attorneys to voter registration drives, the players are focused on addressing the “real issues” that prompted the protests rather than getting dragged into the mud.
“We’re not so caught up into what the president is saying,” Anquan Boldin, a co-founder of the Players Coalition, told USA TODAY Sports. “Right now, we’re just focusing on the work.”
It would be easy to be outraged at Trump’s ignorance and privilege, to respond angrily to his suggestion Friday that the NFL protests were just for show. But to do that is to play into his hands and amplify his false narrative of the protests – and the men who staged them – being disrespectful and un-American.
Most importantly, it would do nothing to fix a criminal justice system that is often systemically biased against people of color.
“You hear so much how disgusted people are with our criminal justice system, but yet there aren’t lot of people willing to go out and do the work,” Boldin said. “It’s easy to sit on the couch and play Monday morning quarterback and talk about what’s not working.
“Go out and educate yourself on our criminal justice system, and go out and find ways to fix it.”
While much of the country’s focus is on national leaders, members of the Players Coalition are more concerned with what’s going on at the city and state level. Particularly, local prosecutors and district attorneys. These are the people who decide who should and shouldn’t face charges, and recommend bail amounts that often keep defendants behind bars while their cases proceed.
Most people don’t even realize these are elected officials, Boldin said. By hosting candidate forums, the players are trying to let ordinary citizens know they have the power to change the criminal justice system and hold these officials accountable.
Following forums last month in Sacramento, California, and the Bay Area, Boldin led one Thursday in Prince George’s Count, Maryland just outside Washington, D.C. Devin and Jason McCourty and Matthew Slater are hosting one Tuesday in Boston, and Chris Long will hold one Wednesday in St. Louis.
Long and Malcolm Jenkins also had a closed-door meeting Friday with 10-12 prosecuting attorneys from around the country.
“The DA has a lot of power, and they play an important role when it comes to our justice system,” Boldin said. “I don’t think there are enough forums in place to where people in communities can voice their concerns and have people in their roles address them.”
Boldin said the candidates have been receptive. “If you’re running from accountability, you would have a problem with it," he said. "But if you want to be held accountable, if you want people to know exactly where you stand on policies, I don’t think you’d have a problem with the forums.”
Even more encouraging is the response from those who attend them.
On Thursday night, two young men – Boldin guessed them to be 19 or 20 – showed up to meet the former Pro Bowl receiver and Baltimore Ravens defensive tackle Carl Davis but didn’t plan to stay for the forum. They weren’t even aware that DAs were elected.
Worse, Boldin said, they didn’t see how their votes could make a difference when it comes to reforming the criminal justice system.
After talking with the men, Boldin said they stayed for the forum. Peppered the candidates with questions about their plans if elected, too.
“They said, 'After today, I’m definitely voting,’” Boldin said. “I thought that was cool.”
Trump tried to dismiss the NFL players who protest as fame seekers because no one has given him a name of someone wronged by the justice system. As if it’s a surprise the players would be skeptical of a man who has used them as political props and whose interest in addressing the shortcomings of our criminal justice system appears limited to photo ops.
But do not mistake the players' lack of a response to Trump's criticisms for silence. The work they're doing to make this country a more fair and equal place speaks volumes, and history will grant them the last word.
Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on Twitter @nrarmour.
